Transformation of a pharmacy department: impact on pharmacist interventions, error prevention, and cost.
Jt Comm J Qual Improv
; 28(6): 324-30, 2002 Jun.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12066624
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Current medical literature supports the unit-based (UB) pharmacy concept as a best practice. In an effort to determine its feasibility, Huntsville Hospital (Huntsville, Alabama) conducted a pilot study to compare the central-based (CB) model with the UB model and then implemented the new model. IMPLEMENTING THE PILOT STUDY Data were collected for two high-volume nursing units for 10 days for each model. Pharmacists practicing in the UB setting documented more interventions than the CB pharmacist by a factor of three to one, resulting in an 85% increase in cost avoidance. IMPLEMENTING THE UB MODEL Converting the pharmacy services to a UB model entailed creating 16 new pharmacist positions. Extrapolation of the savings for the UB model ($520 per day) and the CB model ($280) for 1 year suggested that adoption of the UB model would generate an additional $87,600 in cost avoidance for these two nursing units. Each new pharmacist was trained for at least 3 months before being scheduled to work independently as a UB pharmacist. Clinical interventions by pharmacists greatly increased after implementation of the UB model. The baseline monthly average of interventions for the 6 months before implementation was 239, and the monthly cost avoidance was $21,300. In October 2001, the first full month of implementation, there were 1,315 interventions and a monthly cost avoidance of $130,192.SUMMARY:
Converting to the UB model has required a considerable increase in the number of pharmacist positions, yet there has been a dramatic increase in clinical pharmacy interventions, with a corresponding decrease in drug expenditures.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Serviço de Farmácia Hospitalar
/
Serviços Centralizados no Hospital
/
Modelos Organizacionais
/
Unidades Hospitalares
/
Sistemas de Medicação no Hospital
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2002
Tipo de documento:
Article